Dispensing container



June 12, 1945. c, M DUELL www DI SPENSING CONTAINER Filed July 3, 1944Patented June 12, 19415 UNITED STATES PATENT oFElcE 2,378,003 nlsPENsINGCONTAINER Charles H. Duell, Sharpsburg, Pa.

Application July 3, 1944, Serial No.4543,266

l (ci. 20s-42) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensing containers of the type wherein a.pre-determined number of medicinal tablets contained within a shallowbox-like container are adapted to be isolated in a dispensing pocketlocated at one end of the container which pocket is opened or exposed byrelatively sliding movement between the container and a cover with whichit is provided, the cover being provided with an obstructing flange orbar-l rier which separates the pre-determined number of tablets locatedwithin the dispensing pocket from the remaining contents of thecontainer when the cover is in opened position. the present inventionrelating generally to the type of containers disclosed in my priorUnited States Patent No. 1,962,860.

Dispensing containers of the type to which the present invention relateshave been adopted as an essential part of the rst-aid kits furnished. toall the members of the combat forces of the United States. Thesecontainers are lled with a pre-determined number of sulfa tablets anddefinite instructions are given that if any man is Wounded and medicalaid is not immediately available he should promptly administerselfmedication. Due to the fact that these particular containers can bevery readily manipulated by the fingers of one hand in order to expose apre-determined number of the tablets for selfmedication without spillingthe entire contents of the container, there have been numerous incidentswhere otherwise severely wounded men have been able to administerselfmedication oi sulfa drugs thereby avoiding serious and perhaps fatalconsequences of their injuries had not such self-medication beenrendered possible by the use of this type of dispensing container.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved construction of a container of the type set forth in which thedispensing container and cover are so `constructed and arranged that thecontainer is provided with dispensing pockets at each end ,thereof andso that the cover may be slid in veither direction longitudinally of thebox to expose a pre-determined number of medicinal tablets contained ineither of the dispensing pockets.

A further object of the present invention is to provide acontainer witha dividing or' separating barrier by means of which thel tablets are notonly maintained in separated rows, but are also held or restrictedagainst undue movement or rattling around within the container whichwould tend to break the capsules and reduce them to apowdered mass.

Another object is to provide the slidable cover of the container with adepending ange or barrier which separates the dispensing pocket portionof the container from the main body of the container when the cover isslid to open position, and which barrier preferably engages the end ofsaid longitudinal partition for limiting the movement of the cover fromclosed to its fully opened position.

A further object is to provide the dispensing pocket portion of thecontainer with. separate pockets or recesses which serve to hold thetablets which are in the dispensing poclret portion of the container outof contact with each other and to prevent undue movement of such tabletsand their striking against one another thereby to prevent breaking anddisintegration of the tablets.

Another object is to provide the slidable cover with means which tend tofacilitate movement of the tablets from the non-dispensing portion ofthe container into the dispensing pocket portion thereof.

Another object of the invention'is to provide a construction for adispensing .container oi the type set forth that will be neat andattractive in appearance, extremely emcient in operation, while at thesame time being of marhed simplicity of. construction wherebymanufacturing costs thereof will be greatly reduced.

The above and other objects of the present in- "vention will appear morefully from the following more detailed description and by reference tothe accompanymg drawing forming a bart hereof and. wherein:

Fig. i is a perspective view of a container constructed in accordancewith the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 showing thecontainer with, the cover thereof in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 showing the cover slid inone'direction to open the dispensing pocket at one end of the container;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line ii-,t of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is an end view of the container.

As shown in the drawing, the container consists of an elongatedsubstantially rectangular shallow box or container portion i0 which isprovided with the end walls H and i2 and the side walls i3 and I4 and abottom l5. Each of the side walls i3 and I4 are provided, as shown inFig. 4, with a laterally projecting rib or ange I6 extending Valong thetop edge of said side wall.

The flanges i6 serve as a means to retain a cover on the contianer I insliding relation thereto, the cover l1 being provided with downwardlydepending, inwardly turned flanges I8 which embrace the ribs I6, asclearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. Each of the end walls ||,'I2 ofthe container is provided at its central portion with a cut-out recessI9 which serves to form a clearance for a depending flange or barrier 20located at the central part of. each end oi' the slidable cover I1.

The bottom Wall I of the container is provided at each end thereof witha pair of depressed recesses 2|, preferably shaped to conform to thesize and shape of the tablets to be dispensed. Extending longitudinallyalong the central part of the container l0 and projecting upwardly fromthe bottom wall thereof is a partition 22 having a raised centralportion which terminates at its ends immediately adjacent to therecesses 2| provided at each end of the container. This raised centralportion oi the partition 22 is preferably of the same height as the sidewalls I3 and I4 so that the lower face of the cover l1 rests on the topof said partition in sliding contact therewithso that the partitionserves as a bracing means for said cover. The partition, however,extends the full length of the box, the end portions 22-a thereof beingof much less height than the central -portion but 0f sufllcient heightto restrict movement of the tablets within two adjacent recesses 2|.

The slidable top of the container is also provided at each end thereofwith a pair of small rounded projections 23 which, when the cover islocated in its fully closed position, as shown in Fig. 2, are locatedsubstantially in alignment with the center of the capsules or tablets 2|contained within the dispensing pockets at each end of the container.

Any suitable means such as the raised letter V 25 is provided on theupper face of the cover to furnish a friction .grip to faciliate) theopening movement of the cover. The manner in which the device operatesis as follows: -The shallow box 'portion I0 of the container iscompletely filled with a number oi capsules 24 `as indicated in dottedlines in the perspective view in Fig. 1. As will be seen from Fig. 2 ofthe drawing, the two tablets 24 at each end of the box are seated withinthe two depressions 2| provided at each end. The two tablets at each endof the box are held from movement towards each other and from strikingagainst each other by being seated within the recesses and also by thelowered prolongated edge 22--a of the central partition 22. Theprojections 23 which depend from the lower face of the cover are also ofsuch a size that even if the container would be inverted the tabletswithin the recesses 2| will not strike against each other or moveagainst the central portion of the box,

If it is desired to dispense the tablets, the box may be held in eitherhand of the user with either end of the box towards the users fingertips. The construction of the box is such that when one wishes todispense the contents, the box is instinctively supported by the firsttwo fingers of the users hand and the cover 22 is slid longitudinally byengaging the raised projection shown in the formof the letter V with theball of the users thumb. The cover may be readily slid longitudinally ineither direction to open either end of the box. If the cover is so slidlongitudinally of the box, the depending flange 20 at each end of thecover'will engage with the end of the central partition 2| thus limitingthe opening of the box to a position such that only the two tabletswhich are contained in the recesses 2| at either end of the box will beexposed for dispensing. As will be seen from an inspection of thedrawing and particularly Fig. 1 thereof, the flange 20 is of such widthas to engage the tablets which remain in the uncovered portion of thebox substantially at the center thereof so as to eifectually prevent anymovement of these tablets into the dispensing pocket portions of thebox. The two tablets in the opened dispensing pocket may then be readilytossed into the mouth of the user by bringing the box up to the usersmouth and merely inverting it so that the tablets in the exposeddispensing pocket will readily drop out of the box. After the twotablets have been thus so dispensed, the cover may be slid back toclosed position, and, during the sliding movement of the cover back tothe closed position, the two projections 23 will serve, particularlywhen pressure is put on the top of the cover by the users thumb, to tendto move these two tablets into the now emptied dispensing pocket.

As it will be understood 'from the foregoing description, the raisedgripping ribs, such as the letter V, on the cover provides sufficientindicating means to enable the user to inmediately distinguish the topof the container from the smooth bottom thereof in pitch darkness and sothat when self-medication is required, the container may always be heldin proper position so that the contents thereof will not spill out uponthe ground, when the cover is slid to open position. The constructionand arrangement whereby the cover may be slid in either direction toopened position also makes it possoible for the user to hold thecontainer in either hand and slide the cover rearwardly to uncover thedispensing pocket which is located towards the foreflnger of the usershand.

As the cover is of relatively thin material, it may be readily sprung todetach the side flanges thereof from the ribs I8 to remove it from orreplace it on the box. The central partition, however, being of the sameheight as the side walls serves to brace the cover and preventdistortion thereof in the ordinary use or manipulation of the box.

The constructional details of the container shown and described are suchthat due to the separation of the tablets by the central partition,which is so spaced from the side walls as to permit but a very limitedmovement of the tablets, although a container filled with tablets may besubjected to considerable shaking and jarring in transportation and inthe soldiers kit, the tablets will not be crushed or broken but willremain intact until used. Furthermore, these constructional details arealso such that the container may be very readily and cheaplymanufactured of transparent plastics or any other suitable material bythe use of comparatively simple and inexpensive molding dies. y

As the container herein disclosed is one wherein the cover may be slidin either direction for dispensing purposes, either end wall could beconsidered the front wall of the box depending upon how the box may beheld in the users hand. It will, therefore, be understood that the termrear as used in the claims is merely relative and is intended to referto that side of the cover projection 20 which faces inwardly towards thetransverse center line of the box. It will likewise be understood thatthe description and definition of the depressed recesses as being shapedto conform to the size and shape of the tablets to be dispensed is, ofcourse, intended to refer to the cross sectionalv contour of the tabletsconsidered in the horizontal plane of the drawings and not to the sizeand shape of the tablets considered vertically.

While I have shown a satisfactory constructional example, it will, ofcourse, be understood that many changes, variations and modifications inthe constructionai details thereof may be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit of the invention as set forth in the claims hereuntoappended.

f' Iclaim: l

1. A dispensing container consisting of a' shallow box adapted tocontain a plurality of substantially at medicinal tablets arranged in aplurality of longitudinal rows, a partition projecting upwardly andinwardly from the bottom of said box for separating 'the tablets in onerow from those in an adjacent row, a cover slidably secured to said boxand having on each end wail thereof a depending flange projectinginwardly towards the bottom of said box, the central part of saidpartition being of a height such as to be engaged by either of saidcover flanges to act as a stop to limit the opening movement of saidcover as. it is slid longitudinally of said box.

2. A dispensing container consisting of a shallowbox adapted to containa plurality of substantially flat medicinal Atablets arranged in aplurality of longitudinal rows, a partition projecting upwardly andinwardly from the bottom of said box for separating the tablets in onerow from those in an adjacent row, a cover slidably secured to said boxand having on each end Wall thereof a depending flange projectinginwardly towards the bottom of said box, said partition having a pair ofportions thereof which project upwardly beyond the lower edges of saidanges and each of which portions are spaced from vthe adjacent end wallof said box a disktance substantially equal to the width of a tablet tobe dispensed whereby each of said portions of said partition will beengaged by the ange on the adjacent end wall of said cover to limit thel opening movement of said cover as it is slid in either direction fromclosed to open position thereby to expose a pre-determined number onlyof the tablets within said box for dispensing purposes.

3. A dispensing container comprising, a shallow box adapted to.contain aplurality of substantially flat medicinal tablets --arranged in 4aplurality of longitudinal rows, said box having a. bottom, a pair ofside walls and a pairof end walls, a longitudinally extending partitionprojecting upwardly'and inwardly from the bottom of said box forseparating the tablets in-one row from those in an adjacent row and for,restricting movement of said tablets transversely of said box, saidpartition adjacent the central portion of said box being ofsubstantially the same height as lthe side walls of said box, a covermounted for longitudinal slidable movement on said box and having oneach end thercofa projection which extends inwardly of said covertowards the bottom of said box and transversely of said box on each.side of said partition to engage the ends of the tablets on each side ofsaid partition, the bottom of said box adjacent each end wall thereofhaving a recess of a depth such that the tops of the tablets seatedwithin said recess will lie below the projection on said cover, wherebysaid projection will clear the tablets in said recess as said cover isslid from closed to opened position and said projection will act as abarrier Ato prevent tablets within said box to the rear of saidprojection from passing into said recess, the ends of said centralportion of said partition being spaced from the end walls of said box 'adistance substantially equal to the width of the tablets to be dispensedwhereby said partition will act as a stop to limit the opening movementof said cover as it is slid from closed to opened position thereby toexpose for dispensing only those tablets seated within one of saidrecesses.

4. A dispensing container comprising, a shallow box adapted to contain aplurality of substantiallyfiat medicinal tablets arranged in a pluralityof longitudinal rows, said box having a bottom, a pair of side walls anda pair oil-end walls, a longitudinally extending partition projectingupwardly and inwardly from the bottom of said (box for separating thetablets in one row from those in an adjacent row and for restrictingmovement of said tablets transversely of said box, said partitionadjacent the central portion of said box being of substantially the sameheight as the side walls of said box, a cover mounted for longitudinalslidable movement on said box and having on each end thereof aprojection which extends inwardly of said dover towards the bottom ofsaid box and transversely of said box on each side of said partition toengage the ends of the tablets on each side ofA said partition, thebottom of said box adjacent each end wall thereof having a recess of adepth sufficient such that the tops of the tablets seated Within saidrecess will lie below the projection on said cover whereby saidprojection will clear the tablets in said recess as said cover is slidfrom closed y,to opened position and said projection will act as abarrier to prevent tablets within said box rto the rear of saidprojection from passing into said recess, the

ends of said central portion of saidpartition being spaced from the endWalls of said box a distance substantially equal to the width oi' thetablets to be dispensed whereby said partition will act as a stop tolimit the opening movement of said cover as it is slid from closed toopened position thereby to expose i'or dispensing only those tabletsseated within said recess,and means carried bysaid cover and projectinginwardly o1' said box for frictionally engaging the tops of the tabletslocated immediately to the rear of said projection when said cover is inopened position and tending to move said tablets into said recess whensaid cover isslid from opened to closed position.

,f CHARLES H. DUELL.

